Let-off mechanism for looms



(No Model.)

W. E. SHARPLBS. l LET-OFP M -EHANISM FR LOMS. 10.445,383.

Patented Jan. 27, 1891.

Ahovuetl.

Tm: Norms paens co., pHoro-mnu, wAsHlNcroN, uA c UNrTnD STATES PATnNT @risica WILLIAM E. SHARPLES, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

LET-OFF MECHANISlVl FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,383, dated January 2?, 189i.

Application tiled November 25, 1887. Serial No. 256,051. (No model.)

To aZZ whom t may comerm- Be it known that LWILLIAM E. SHARPLES, of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massacl1usetts,havo invented a new and useful Improvement in Let-Off Mechanisms for Looms; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a description thereof.

This invention has for its main object the conversion of a toothed Wheel into a band wheel or pulley, and it is particularly adapted to looms When it is desired to substitute a friction let-off mechanism for one in which a pallet-Wheel or other toothed Wheel is employed as an active element--as, for instance, in the Well-known bob-wire let-off motion.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a rear View of a portion of a loom in which the pallet-Wheel that is usually mounted on a shaft geared to the Warp-beam is furnished with a band-rim or pulley-face, and a friction-band is passed around said rim or pulley-face and is connected with the vibrator. Fig. 2 shows a section through the warp-beam and the vibrator on line Y Y of Fig. l, the gear on the beam being shown by a dotted circle and the frame of the loom being omitted. Fig. 3 represents an end view of a portion of a loom in which a two-part ring or annulus that forms a band-rim or pulley-face is secured to thepallet-Wheel to make such wheel a pulley, and a friction-band is passed around said band-rim and connected with the vibrator. Fig. et shows a horizontal section, on line Z Z, Fig. 3, through the pallet-wheel and the band-rim attached thereto. Fig. 5 represents an end View of a portion of a loom provided With the Well-known bob- Wire let-off mechanism in which apallet-Wheel is employed.

In looms as ordinarily constructed the warp a passes from the beam A over a vibrator B, and thence through the harnesses and the reed of the lathe over the breast-beam to the receiving or cloth roller in a Well-understood Way. The Warp-beam is provided with a gear A', which meshes with a pinion G, located on a shaft g.

W h en the bob-Wire let-off mechanism is employed,the shaft g is furnished With a palletwheel N, Fig. 5, and a pallet O is pivoted to the frame of the loom above said wheel so as to operate thereon. A hanger P is pivoted to the forward end of an arm J and said hanger has secured thereto a bob-Wire or rod p, Whose lower end is-located just above one end of the pallet. The arm .l is attached to one end of the vibrator B, which is a rock-shaft having a radially-projecting leaf b, and said arm is provided with a Weight and with a stop-iinger j', which finger determines the normal position of the Wire or rod p With relation to the pallet O. When the vibrator and its arm J are rocked by a strain upon the Warp, which strain is produced by the forward movement of Iche lathe in beating` up a pick, the Wire or rod p Will depress the forward end of the pallet, thereby allowing the Wheel N to turn one tooth and a small quantity of yarn to be delivered from the beam A.

lt is often very desirable to substitute a friction let-off mechanism (in which a pulley and a band passing around the same are used) for one inwhich a pallet-Wheel or other toothed wheel is employed; but as such VWheels are usually secured to their shafts, so they cannot be removed Without considerable loss of time and much trouble, such a substitution becomes comparatively costly, (if the toothed wheel be taken off and a pulley be put on,) as Well as entailing an equal amount of time and trouble when it is desired to remove the friction let-off and use one in which a toothed Wheel is employed. Y

By arranging to convert the toothed wheel into a pulley in accordance With my invention the change is greatly simplified, and this may be effected by securing to such toothed wheel in any preferred manner a band-rim or pulley-face, as R, of any preferred form. If the friction-band to be used be in the form of a rope, then the face of the ring or band-rim R may be provided with a circumferential groove; but if the friction-band be a tia-t belt then the face of the ring may be flat.

For convenience in applying and removing IOO the baud-rim or p Lilley-face R, I prefer to make it in two parts or halves, as shown in Fig. 3, and bolt said parts together, as at o, so the ring-Will be immovable on the toothed Wheel.

By dispensing with the pallet O and the hanger P and its Wire p and passing a friction-band K around the ring or pulley-face R, and properly attaching the ends of said band, afriction let-olf is secured. As shown in Fig. 3, one end of the band K is attached to the arm J and the other end is preferably secured to a hook'or support L, projecting from a slotted plate Z', through which a bolt Z passes into the frame of the looin, so said hook can be adjusted on the frame to take up any stretch in the band K should occasion require; but in place of attaching one end of the band to the hook L said end may be secured to the arin J, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing it will be understood that a toothed Wheel can be converted into a pulley by attaching the band-rim thereto, and that when such band-rim is applied to the pallet or other toothed Wheel of a let-off mechanism it enables a friction let-off to be used on the loom.

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a toothed Wheel, of a band-rim secured to the periphery of the toothed wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. A toothed wheel for let-off mechanisms for looms for Weaving, having a band-rim detaehably secured to the periphery of the toothed Wheel, substantially as set forth.

The combination of the Warp-beam and its gear A', the shaft g, having a pinion G, a toothed wheel seeuredto said shaft, a' bandrim or pulley-face secured to said toothed Wheel, a Weighted vibrator, and a frictionband K, passed partially around said bandrini or pulley-face and connected With the Vibrator, substantially as set forth.

XVILLIAM E. SHARPLES.

Witnesses:

RICHARD I. BORDEN, HERBERT Il. HoRToN. 

